Pachmarhi is the only hill station in Madhya Pradesh. It is located in the lush green valley of the Satpura Range. Its beauty is the reason people call Pachmarhi “Satpura Ki Rani”, meaning queen of Satpura. This range divides the Northern region of India from its Southern region. It covers about 890kms, extending from east region of Gujarat, through Madhya Pradesh till Chhattisgarh.
As the name suggests, Satpura has seven mountain ranges.The hill station is located in the Hoshangabad district, at a height of 1000 meter. Dhupgarh, the highest point of central India is also situated near Pachmarhi. Pachmarhi is a small town under the management of the Pachmarhi Cantonment Board which is serving the Indian Army. Most of the people residing here are linked to the army.
This hill station is a tourist hub. This place is full of people all around the year. There are many good hotels but because of a lot of rush they are usually booked. The civil area of the hill station which is more peaceful, do not have much hotels.
Pachmarhi being located on such a great height, with Satpura Forests on one side and beautiful waterfalls on the other, it is a mesmerizing destination. It also has a huge diversity of flora and fauna. The hill station is located in the Pachmarhi Biosphere Preserve. This was built in the year of 1999. This preserve was made as a link between the two forests, which would then make this whole area a bigger wildlife conservatory. Till date you can come across some beautiful cave paintings in the forest, which are said to be made about 10000 years ago.
There are a lot of tourist attractions that one can visit. You have the Chauragarh which is a major tourist spot. It is a group four mountains. Once you reach the top of the mountain, you can see a beautiful temple of Lord Shiva. You can see the entire Pachmarhi village from the top. The trek is of about 15kms.
Another amazing place to visit is the Pandav Caves. They are five primeval dwellings which were made from the sandstone rock. People say, the word Pachmarhi was derived from these caves. Legends say, these caves were home to the five Pandav brothers. It is now counted as a monument.
The next stop is just a picture perfect spot. It is called the Dhoop Garh. Being the highest point of Pachmarhi, here you can see the different shades of color that the sun reflects while it’s rising and setting. This point can be reached in a gypsy that you can hire from hotel. It is recommended not to drive on your own as the slopes here are very steep and difficult.
Other tourist spots include the Faansi Khadda, Handi Khoh, Duchess Falls, Jata Shankar, Bee Falls, Tridhara and many more.
If you are really fond of walking or trekking, then this is the perfect holiday destination for you as people call it a ‘Walker’s Paradise”. It has got lush green forests with many beautiful waterfalls, looked after by sacred shrines, all away from the hustle bustle of the city.
